The present invention relates to an airbag device disposed in a high speed moving body, such as an automobile, and the like, for protecting a passenger in case of collision, and the like, and a method of folding an airbag.
An automobile is equipped with various types of air bag devices for a driver""s seat, a passenger""s seat, a back seat and passengers"" legs. The airbag device includes a folded airbag, a case in which the folded airbag or airbag folded member is accommodated, and a gas generator for inflating the folded airbag.
A conventional airbag folded member is arranged by folding a flatly deployed airbag to a front or a rear side thereof. When the airbag folded member is inflated, the gas expelled from the gas generator must reaches an outer peripheral side of the airbag positioned across the folded lines by passing the folded lines.
An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device arranged such that an airbag can be inflated promptly even if a gas generator generates low-pressure gas.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device arranged such that an air bag is deployed promptly in sideward directions (up, down, right, and left directions relative to a passenger).
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of folding an airbag to be deployed smoothly when the airbag is deployed.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention
An airbag device of the present invention includes a folded airbag, a case for accommodating the airbag, and a gas generator for inflating the airbag. The airbag device has a front surface facing a passenger and a rear surface opposite to the front surface. The air bag is folded to have a first-processed folded member, which is again folded to have a second-processed folded member. In the first-processed folded member, a peripheral edge of the airbag is folded or disposed inwardly at a plurality of portions from a flatly deployed state such that the front surface overlaps the rear surface. The second-processed folded member is arranged by folding a peripheral edge of the first-processed folded member to be located inwardly at a plurality of portions.
A size of the airbag device of the present invention arranged as described above is reduced to a predetermined size only by folding the outer periphery of the airbag folded member inwardly.
When gas is supplied to the airbag folded member from the gas generator, the inwardly folded portions are inflated by the pressure of the gas in an outward direction opposite to the folded direction thereof (side of the airbag) so as to be pushed outward. Further, when the airbag is inflated, the gas simply pushes the folded portions of the airbag and need not to pass through folded lines as required in conventional art. Thus, the folded portions can be promptly pushed and deployed laterally and outwardly even if the gas pressure is low. Accordingly, the airbag is deployed in the sideward directions promptly even if the gas pressure from the gas generator is low.